Hitching device



No Model.)-

, K. LAIMINGER & J. AGKFELDQ v HITGHING DEVICE. No. 497,582. PatentedMay 16,- 1893.

Fill I y AillllllllllllllllflllllIll!1 millllll Korbiqiuq Lqi'mirwer-Joseph Acxfeld Pei urmzyg i UNiTED STATES PATENT OFFIQE.

KORBIN IAN LAIMINGER AND JOSEPH AOKFELD, OF ST. LOUIS, MISSOURI.

HlTCHlN G DEVICE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 497,582, dated May 16,1893. Application filed January 9, 1893.; Serial No. 457,825. (Nomodel.)

upon the present construction of this class of manufacture, the postbeing located adjacent the street curve and carrying all of thenecessary parts for the successful operation and culmination of ourideas.

In the drawings:'Figure 1 is a detail side elevation of our completeinvention. Fig. 2 is a vertical transverse sectional view of theconstruction. Fig.3 is an enlarged sectional view of the upper end ofthe post, in which the mechanism is located. Fig. 4 is a-plan sectionalview taken on a line AA in Fig. 3.

Fig. 5 is a detail perspective view of one of the operating parts.

Referring to the drawings:1 indicates our complete invention consistingexteriorly of a vertical hollow post in the interior of which arelocated all the parts of ourinvention. The middle portion 2 of the post1, in this instance is shown as circular in form, and is surmounted by arectangular portion 3. The circular portion 2 is located upon the top ofthe elongated rectangular base 4, all of the sides of which are skeletonin form to assist in the securance of the device in the concrete orother foundation. Adapted to be located within the skeleton base 4 is arectangular box 5 both ends of which are open and which is preferablymade in the form of a casting of the same material as the entire post.This box 5 forms a channel, constitutingacontinnation of the channel inthe portion 2 of the post, and is adapted to receive the weighthereinafter referred to. The top of the rectangular portion 3 isprovided with an opening 6, circular in form and adapted to be closed bya removable cap 7, the bottom 8 of which is of the same diameter as theopening .the top 10. A screw 12 secured to the flange.

9 into the top 10 opposite to the lug 11 secures fthe cap 7 to the postand allows of its removal iin caseexamination of the internal parts is,

inecessary. Secured to both sides 13 of the rectangular portion 3 andnear the lower ledges of same are horizontal pieces 14, each fof whichhave'aligned depressions15 and ld to provide bearings respectively for aguide {pulley 17 and an eccentrically mounted lever 218. The guidepulley 17 has a central annular depression 19,.over which a chain 20 isadapted to pass, there being an opening 21 in the front 22 of therectangular portion 3, @to allow the passage of said chain beyond saidpulley 17. The chain 20 depends from the Efguide pulley 17 downwardlythrough the hollow portion 2 and into the box 5 held in the skeleton.base 4, when said chain is at its in- Eward limit, and secured upon thelower end f said chain is a weight block 22, which necessitates theinward and downward movement of the chain over and from the pulley '17when certain 'other parts are operated. The guide pulley 17 is mountedupon a shaft 23 in said bearings 15.

The shaft 24 upon which the lever 18 is cogcentrically mounted,-is heldin the bearings "16 at a point below the shaft 23 and toward the rearside 25 of the rectangular portion 3.

The rear side of the lever'lS is straight in outline while the forwardside is curvilinear, a portion 26 of same being similar in'outliue tothe periphery of the guide-wheel 17. v

The curvilinear portion 26' of the lever 18 has two projecting teeth 27which slant slightly toward each other and which are in a line with thecenterof the annular groove 19 upon the pulley 17.

- The object of the teeth 27 is evidentby ex amination of Fig. 3 whereinsaid teeth are shown as engaging the chain set forth in dotted lines.

The upper end of the lever 18 has two projecting ears 28 between whichis pivoted a horizontal push bar 29 on the outer end of which is a pushbutton 30, said rod projecting through an opening 31 in the front 22 ofthe rectangular box 3.

The normal tendency of the lever 18 is with the teeth 27 in engagementwith the chain upon the pulley 17 and this position is determined byaspring 32. This spring consists of a length of wire doubled in such amanner that a central portion 33 of the width of the lever 18 is left toengage said lever upon its rear side at a point below the ears 28.

Two downwardly extending arms 34 from the portion 33 merge into circularcoils 35, one of which is located upon the shaft 24 at the sides of thelever 18, and the wire from the coil 35 terminates inupwardly projectingarms 36 which engage the rear wall of the rectangular portion 3, thuskeeping the lever 18 normally forward with the teeth 27 in engagementwith the chain 20.

The outer free end of the chain 20 is provided with a snap 37 to engagethe harnessbridle, a cross-piece 38 also forming apart of said snap-hook37 to prevent the escape of the chain 20 through the opening 21 into theinterior of the post. When the chain is pulled outwardly, the teeth 27ride over the links of same, always engaging in said chain andpreventing its backward and downward movementeXcept when the push bar 29is operated. The pushing in upon the finger-piece causes the lever 18 tobe forced rearwardly, thus releasing the engagementof the teeth 27 inthe links of the chain 20, and allowing the same to drop downwardly asfar as desired. It will thus be seen that the animal can suit the lengthof chain necessary for the comfortable movement of his head.

The rearward movement of the lever 18 releases the engagement of theteeth 27in the chain 20 and the weight 22 upon the lower end of the samecauses the same to resume its normal position in the interior post withthe snap-hook 37 projecting outwardly from the opening 21, with theweight 22' at a point within the central hollow portion 2 or the box 5according to the length of the chain 20.

All of the parts of our invention are preferably made of some suitablecast material although this is an immaterial point, as otherconstructions might be used to advantage.

Having fully described our invention, what we claim is- 1. As animprovement in hitching devices, the combination, with a tubular postprovided at its upper end with a pulley, a chain playing in said postand over the pulley, and aweight carried at the inner end of said chain,

of a spring-held lever pivoted Within the easing in rear of the pulleyand provided with forwardly-convergent teeth opposing the pulley,saidteeth being adapted to engage with n the links of the chain, and anoperating pin pivoted to the free end of the lever and pro- ,iectingthrough the post, substantially as set forth.

2. An improved hitching-device comprising a hollow post, the upper endof same rectangular in form, a removable cap-piece surmounting saidrectangular portion, horizontal blocks located in said portion andproviding bearings for a horizontally mounted guidepulley andeccentrically mounted toothed, spring-controlled lever, the forward faceof said level-curvilinear in form, said curvilinear face being providedwith two projecting convergingly located teeth adapted to normallyengage the chain passing over said guide-pulley and prevent the loweringof same through the hollow post, substantially as set forth.

3. An improved hitching device having a horizontally mounted guidepulley, an annular groove upon said pulley in which the chain is adaptedto normally engage, a horizontally and eccentrically mounted leverhaving a curvilinear forward face, coinciding in form with the peripheryof the guide-pulley, convergingly projecting teeth upon said curvilinearface, the shaft of said lever located in bearings in a line below thebearings for the shaft carrying the guide-pulley, a spring located uponthe said lever-shaft, and compressed between the rear face of the leverand the rear side of the upper rectangular portion comprising a part ofthe post, upwardly projecting ears upon the upper end of the said lever,a push-rod pivoted between same, said rod projecting outwardly throughan opening in the front of the rectangular portion, a button upon theend of said rod, a chain passing over said pulley, a weight upon thelower end of said chain, and the pushing back of said lever by means ofsaid push-rod adapted to disengage the teeth from the length of thechain and allow the same to gravitate downwardly by the weight of sameand a weight block upon the lower end, substantially as set forth.

In testimony whereof we affix our signatures in presence of twowitnesses.

KORBINIAN LAIMINGER. JOSEPH AOKFELD.

WVitncsses:

HERBERT L. ROBINSON, ALFRED A. EICKS.

